SN & AAP

[Anonymous]

I am very glad to see that you posted this topic, because FCPS needs to give greater attention to the subject of special needs kids in AAP. My son attended an AAP center for 3rd grade, but returned to his base school.

Unfortunately, the center was not able to provide adequate support; however, rather than tell us that he didn't belong there, I am convinced that teachers and administrators intentionally made the situation so unbearable that we had no other option than to remove him. I don't know if they were afraid we would sue for violation of IDEA or what, but even the school bus driver told me that the teachers were provoking my son and needed to just leave him alone. The school staff was either woefully ignorant about twice exceptional kids or openly hostile. No wonder he started having behavioral problems.

I'm convinced that we did the right thing by returning him to his base school. The AAP center is for those students who are "good students" - not necessarily the most intelligent. If your child needs redirection, organizational help, or assistance with writing tasks, they will have a hard time in a center. Also, kids with special needs may have difficulty with the amount of time spent on group tasks at an AAP center. I was surprised by how much group work there was, and for kids on the spectrum who need adult help to interact with their peers, it is overwhelming.

My son's base school is much better at handling his special needs, and his overall attitude has improved tremendously since returning. If we had kept him at the center, I shudder to think of the psychological damage it would have inflicted on him. He was really starting to feel bad about himself.

After we returned our son to the base school, no one from the center contacted us to check on him or showed any concern for his well-being. That spoke volumes.

[Anonymous]

The AAP center is for those students who are "good students" - not necessarily the most intelligent. If your child needs redirection, organizational help, or assistance with writing tasks, they will have a hard time in a center. Also, kids with special needs may have difficulty with the amount of time spent on group tasks at an AAP center. I was surprised by how much group work there was, and for kids on the spectrum who need adult help to interact with their peers, it is overwhelming.

This really is school dependent though. My AAP kid with an IEP flourished at the center and had been miserable at the base school, even in a LLIV classroom. Our experience was that the center was much more experienced in meeting the needs of 2E kids. This was even more the case at the middle school AAP center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The AAP center is for those students who are "good students" - not necessarily the most intelligent. If your child needs redirection, organizational help, or assistance with writing tasks, they will have a hard time in a center. Also, kids with special needs may have difficulty with the amount of time spent on group tasks at an AAP center. I was surprised by how much group work there was, and for kids on the spectrum who need adult help to interact with their peers, it is overwhelming.

This really is school dependent though. My AAP kid with an IEP flourished at the center and had been miserable at the base school, even in a LLIV classroom. Our experience was that the center was much more experienced in meeting the needs of 2E kids. This was even more the case at the middle school AAP center.

It's great that your kid flourished at an AAP center. One thing I've noticed about FCPS is that there isn't consistency in the quality of education. Some schools are wonderful, while others are poor. Some schools "get" 2e students and others don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the writing, I would recommend a typing class and going to a laptop instead of handwriting. My kid with ASD/ADHD, rising 3rd grade, gets keyboard instruction from the OT per his IEP at the recommendation of his neuropsych. HIs father and grandfather have terrible handwriting but are excellent writers. His grandfather never wrote anything by hand once he was out of school and this was long before we had computers.

Does FCPS have AAP classes with smaller class size for kids who need them? It really sounds like he needs a smaller classroom.

Plus one. My DS has a horrible handwriting but he's so much better with typing, let alone faster. After suffering from K-2 with his writing, his school finally gave up and let him use a lap top or tablet most of the time. Talk about a huge jump in grades!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The AAP center is for those students who are "good students" - not necessarily the most intelligent. If your child needs redirection, organizational help, or assistance with writing tasks, they will have a hard time in a center. Also, kids with special needs may have difficulty with the amount of time spent on group tasks at an AAP center. I was surprised by how much group work there was, and for kids on the spectrum who need adult help to interact with their peers, it is overwhelming.

This really is school dependent though. My AAP kid with an IEP flourished at the center and had been miserable at the base school, even in a LLIV classroom. Our experience was that the center was much more experienced in meeting the needs of 2E kids. This was even more the case at the middle school AAP center.

Would you mind sharing the name of these schools that were good with 2Es? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The AAP center is for those students who are "good students" - not necessarily the most intelligent. If your child needs redirection, organizational help, or assistance with writing tasks, they will have a hard time in a center. Also, kids with special needs may have difficulty with the amount of time spent on group tasks at an AAP center. I was surprised by how much group work there was, and for kids on the spectrum who need adult help to interact with their peers, it is overwhelming.

This really is school dependent though. My AAP kid with an IEP flourished at the center and had been miserable at the base school, even in a LLIV classroom. Our experience was that the center was much more experienced in meeting the needs of 2E kids. This was even more the case at the middle school AAP center.

Would you mind sharing the name of these schools that were good with 2Es? Thanks!

Different poster, but we found Chesterbrook to be very good with 2E, but Longfellow was horrendous. McLean HS has been excellent. If I were to do it again,knowing what I know now, I would have put DC in private for MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The AAP center is for those students who are "good students" - not necessarily the most intelligent. If your child needs redirection, organizational help, or assistance with writing tasks, they will have a hard time in a center. Also, kids with special needs may have difficulty with the amount of time spent on group tasks at an AAP center. I was surprised by how much group work there was, and for kids on the spectrum who need adult help to interact with their peers, it is overwhelming.

This really is school dependent though. My AAP kid with an IEP flourished at the center and had been miserable at the base school, even in a LLIV classroom. Our experience was that the center was much more experienced in meeting the needs of 2E kids. This was even more the case at the middle school AAP center.

+2

Our base school was not a good fit whatsoever. At the Center school DC really blossomed, with great support from the school's administration, the counselor, as well as the teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The AAP center is for those students who are "good students" - not necessarily the most intelligent. If your child needs redirection, organizational help, or assistance with writing tasks, they will have a hard time in a center. Also, kids with special needs may have difficulty with the amount of time spent on group tasks at an AAP center. I was surprised by how much group work there was, and for kids on the spectrum who need adult help to interact with their peers, it is overwhelming.

This really is school dependent though. My AAP kid with an IEP flourished at the center and had been miserable at the base school, even in a LLIV classroom. Our experience was that the center was much more experienced in meeting the needs of 2E kids. This was even more the case at the middle school AAP center.

+2

Our base school was not a good fit whatsoever. At the Center school DC really blossomed, with great support from the school's administration, the counselor, as well as the teachers.

Does anyone have experience with Kilmer for 2Es?

[Anonymous]

Would you mind sharing the name of these schools that were good with 2Es? Thanks!

Mantua and Frost. Frost especially was fantastic. I think because both schools have various special education service programs, they have a lot of experience with special needs of various types.

[Anonymous]

Mosby Woods has been good, not great.

[Anonymous]

Lorton Station is awful.

[Anonymous]

Carson MS fantastic